# Stress

> Treatment for stress in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Chartered psychologist specialised in stress management.

- **Professional**: Mónica Söderberg (Psicóloga Sanitaria, colegiada P-02710)
- **URL**: https://mentesalud.es/en/tratamientos/estres

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Stress is the body’s reaction for maximum alertness, a physiological response to danger or demand. In moderate doses it can be adaptive; when it becomes chronic or overwhelming it affects physical and emotional health.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been shown to be effective in treating stress, providing practical tools to manage stressful situations in daily life. We work on both the sources of stress (work, family, health, life changes) and how you interpret and cope with them: ruminative thoughts, difficulty switching off or setting boundaries. In Las Palmas we offer a space to assess your situation, learn stress-management and emotion-regulation techniques and make concrete changes in how you organise and respond to pressure.

## Behavioural symptoms

- Decreased initiative
- Indecisiveness
- Restlessness
- Hostility
- Withdrawal
- Eating quickly
- Nail biting
- Being defensive
- Blaming others

## Cognitive symptoms

- Lack of concentration
- Forgetfulness
- Worry
- Reduced creativity

## Physical symptoms

- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Headaches
- Stomach pain
- Allergies
- Chronic fatigue
- Indigestion
- Hyperactivity
- Insomnia
- Nausea

## How we approach stress

We work on stress with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in a practical way: we identify the sources of stress (work, family, health, life changes) and how you interpret and cope with them; we also train stress-management techniques (time organisation, setting boundaries, restructuring ruminative or catastrophising thoughts) and emotion regulation (breathing, relaxation, mindfulness).

The aim is not to remove all stress (some level is adaptive) but to reduce dysfunctional stress and give you tools to manage peaks in demand. We include sleep hygiene, physical activity and self-care when relevant to your case.

Sessions are usually weekly or fortnightly at first, with between-session tasks (stress records, relaxation practice, small changes in schedule or communication) that reinforce what we work on in the room. As stress becomes more manageable we space out sessions and prepare a maintenance plan for busier periods.

## What to expect in stress treatment

### Assessment and goals

In the first sessions we analyse the situations that generate stress for you, your symptoms (physical, cognitive and behavioural) and your goals. We define a short- and medium-term plan with concrete tasks.

### Learning and practice

Weekly or fortnightly sessions in which we work on coping techniques and apply them to real situations. Between-session tasks (records, relaxation practice, changes in organisation) speed up results.

### Consolidation

When stress stays at manageable levels we review what has worked for you and space out sessions until discharge. You will have a repertoire of strategies for future periods of higher demand.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I know if I have chronic stress?

Chronic stress shows up as persistent symptoms such as constant fatigue, sleep problems, irritability and difficulty concentrating over long periods.

### Can stress cause physical illness?

Yes, prolonged stress can contribute to cardiovascular, digestive and immune problems and muscle pain, among others.

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Source: Mente y Salud — https://mentesalud.es